Lotions/ Creams -Soap and Glory - Hand Food
xCarrieex 4/11/2013 2:25:00 PM
It's so funny to read over reviews and see a completely different perspective. Some of the reviews from the product make me think I'm using a different hand cream all together. I'd been wanting to find this hand lotion for a while after hearing Megan (ciaoobelllaxo) talk about it in one her videos on YouTube. After looking in a couple Sephora's by me, I finally found it in a travel size at store downtown in the Water Place. I've used in on and off for a while and I think I'm finally starting to get toward the end of my little tube. I think the price is...decent. $5 for a 50mL tube of hand cream seems a tad steep to me. I'd maybe pay $2 or $3 at most. I don't find this to be greasy whatsoever and it is extremely fast drying. That's my biggest problem with hand creams, especially any from bath & body works. Don't get me wrong, I love that store, but the lotions take forever to absorb. I personally haven't had too many problems with my skin drying, but then again I use this on and off. I have noticed my skin feeling a little drier after consistently using it for a week. But I can't say for sure whether that was from using the lotion or constantly using hand sanitizer. (After contracting mono for a second time last year, I'm extremely careful with germs and sanitation). As for the scent, I personally love it. It's not too perfumey and the scent fades after a while anyway. It's such a shame that that factor alone effects some people's review on it, but everyone is entitled their own opinion. Overall I would like to repurchase this and try to use it on a regular basis. I'll definitely update my review in anything changes.
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Lip Gloss -E.L.F. - Studio Lip Stain
xCarrieex 4/6/2013 10:57:00 PM
I have five of these colors: Birthday Suit, Heartbreaker, First Date, Lucky Lady and Red Carpet. Pros: Beautiful colors and well pigmented. Red Carpet is my favorite red to wear on my lips. Natural looking colors as well (with the exception of red carpet). Aren't very drying, if at all. As with all e.l.f. products, cheap. Cons: Take a while to dry before you can put on the clear gloss. Isn't exactly a stain, it comes off fairly easy. I found when applying the stain, you have to be very light handed. If you slather on a ton of it, it will take longer to dry.
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Lip Treatments -E.L.F. - Studio Line Lip Primer & Plumper
xCarrieex 4/6/2013 10:47:00 PM
I don't completely hate this product. I bought it because I was curious to see how well it plumped lips and primed them for lipstick. Pros: Keeps lipstick in place. Plumping side feels tingly. Changes the color of the lipstick. Cheap. Cons: Make lips look cakey. Clings to dead skin on lips (even if I exfoliate). Plumping side doesn't really plump. Plumper can be a bit too intense at times. Changes the color of the lipstick. Can't use it with light colors or nudes. The fact that this changes the color of the lipstick is both good and bad. Some times I like the color of the lipstick and I think it still looks pretty decent. Other times, like when I wore the Maybelline Vivids lipstick in Coral Shock, it didn't look at all like a coral. It looked pink. I tried wearing the primer with my MAC Hue lipstick. I did not work at all. You couldn't see the lipstick. Just my (apparently) dry lips.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Lip Gloss -E.L.F. - Luscious Liquid Lipstick - ALL
xCarrieex 4/6/2013 10:36:00 PM
So not that long ago I went on an E.L.F. binge and bought a bunch of makeup from them. I can't help it, I'm obsessed! Among that bunch of makeup I bought four luscious liquid lipsticks. Why not, they're $1! I fell in love with each color online and put them into my cart without any hesitation. I ended up buying: Pink Lemonade, Baby Lips, Strawberry, and Raspberry. Pros: They're pigmented and very pretty colors, even if they weren't what I thought they'd be. I don't need to wear a lip gloss with them. They're so shiny. I love it. Stays put and doesn't move. Someone mentioned that it's a refreshing minty feeling when you put these on your lips and I definitely agree! I love the feeling. The price! You absolutely cannot be these gorgeous colors for $1. Cons: My only qualm...almost none of the colors look like they do on the website. I was hoping that Strawberry was going to be a bit more of a melon color (I know, I know, it's strawberry, so it makes sense that it's red) but that's not what they sold to me online. Raspberry looked like it was going to be a lighter pink, and it turned out to be darker. I like the sponge tip application, but some times twisting it to get product out takes forever. Small price to pay for such a product like this though. Sticky on my lips! I do agree that Baby Lips is a very light color and is pretty sheer, but the rest of them are fine and very wearable. Overall, I would get these again and even try out new colors.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Powder -E.L.F. - Tone Correcting Powder
xCarrieex 4/6/2013 10:23:00 PM
I can't remember where I saw this, but I'm so glad I did. I picked mine up from Target a couple weeks ago and could not wait to try it out. I bought the cool toned compact to help tone down the redness that I often get due to having acne-prone skin. How I use it: I use my eco-tools fluffy powder brush and swirl it around in all four colors, then lightly dab it all over my face to set my foundation and concealer. Once I'm done appying my blush and bronzer, I apply it again using light sweeping motions with my e.l.f. Kabuki brush. Pros: I haven't noticed it settling into my pores, which is always nice because I have HUGE pores, and it seems to help tone down some of the discoloration in my skin. I might try to use the colors individually to also see how that works out. I love the packaging of this because it's so sturdy and sleek. It comes with a good sized mirror which is nice for traveling, and the powder itself is good too. Not to mention that the price for this is only $3. Can't beat that! Cons: I have found that if I accidentally go too harsh with the powder, it cane make me look washed out and powdery, however, once I got the hang of it, everything seemed fine. Even with the second application. Overall I really like this product and would buy it again.
4 out of 4 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Lipstick -MAC - Hue
xCarrieex 4/5/2013 10:48:00 AM
I am an avid watcher of Megan (Ciaoobelllaxo) on YouTube and she absolutely raves about this color. After watching her for about a year, I finally decided to "splurge" on my first MAC lipstick and bought Hue. Let me just say that I absolutely LOVE the color and texture of this lipstick. It's creamy, it goes on smooth, and the color is a perfect nude pink. I almost always put lip balm on before lipstick, so I haven't had any issues with it drying out my lips. The color itself is pretty on its own but I still like to pop a lip gloss over the top. My color of choice is Milani's Coral Shimmer that's supposed to be a good dupe for Love Nectar from MAC. Sadly though, it's been discontinued. I like wearing this lipstick when I do a more dramatic eye look because it gives a little bit of color without going over the top. I would definitely repurchase this product again.
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Eyeliner -NYX - Liquid Crystal Liner - ALL
xCarrieex 3/18/2013 6:09:00 PM
I bought six of these at Ulta last Friday because they have BOGO 50% off. The colors I bought are Crystal Smokey Grey (Onyx), Crystal Pink, Crystal Hip, Crystal Aqua, Crystal Pewter, and Crystal Jade. So far I've played around with the Onyx, Pink, Hip, and Jade. So far, so good! Thankfully I haven't had any problems with a burning sensation like a couple of other reviews have mentioned. I personally haven't had any issues with the dry time because I like to wear these liners on my bottom lash line and a lot of time I put it on then move on to mascara or lipstick to let it dry. Even when I did place it on my upper lash line, I didn't have much of a problem with it getting all over my lid and eye area. It stayed put pretty well. The only qualm that I have is that if you do forget you have it on and rub your eyes, it beads and rolls up like glue (it's hard to explain). But the color pay off is GORGEOUS! I really want to go back and grab either the champagne or gold color...maybe even both. I'm definitely addicted to these liners and they help make a natural look a little more flashy. (:
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Concealers -BeneFit Cosmetics - Boi-ing
xCarrieex 11/7/2012 7:34:00 PM
I'm so sorry that people have not had good experiences with this product. I absolutely love it! I am in the shade 02 which is the fair/medium one and it matches my skin PERFECTLY. I use the concealer for both under eye circles and concealing my blemishes. It stays put all day and takes away the unsightly redness that I get with my acne. I also love that a little bit goes a long way. All I have to do is rub my finger around the pot to warm the product up and I can cover most of what I need to with just that one finger. The only time I'll dip my finger in again is when I'm doing under my eyes just to ensure that I'm not tugging away at the skin (not that I do with this because the product is so creamy!). Overall, I would definitely love to buy this product again. Only thing I'm not entirely thrilled about is that it comes in a pot. I'd prefer it more if it came in other packaging, but since I enjoy the product so much, I don't mind.
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Concealers -Smashbox - High Definition Concealer
xCarrieex 10/10/2012 6:55:00 PM
While this product isn't completely awful, it's not super fantastic either. The coloring on the shade for fair skin is definitely for more yellow-toned skin. It's great for brightening the under eye area because it's so...well, bright. But it doesn't have much staying power and is too light/thin of a formula to cover up any acne I might have at the time. I said "yes" that I would repurchase this product but that's more of a "maybe'. I got it in the complexion perfection kit and may just buy a shade that matches my skin tone more to see if it makes any difference.
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Foundations -Smashbox - High Definition Healthy FX Foundation
xCarrieex 10/10/2012 6:46:00 PM
I tried really hard to like this foundation, I really did but it was to no avail. I had gotten a sample size in the Complexion Perfection kit for fair skin and the foundation just...doesn't match my skin tone. Granted, this might be more my problem than Smashbox's, but if you're going to put out a general kit for a skin tone, I would make the shade of the foundation more versatile. Just saying. Maybe if I tried another shade I MIGHT like it a little better, but as of right now, I don't plan on that happening. I don't like the coverage of this foundation and I find myself using quite a few pumps for one application. Once it's applied, at first it looks O.K. on my skin, but then I feel like it settles into my pores and doesn't make me feel/look High Definition anything despite it's name. I don't like that I can feel it on my skin. This is why I switched to the UD Naked Skin foundation. Overall, I wouldn't really recommend this product to anyone. I just...don't like the look or feel of it and don't think it lives up to it's "high definition" name. **Update** Ok, so I went back to try this foundation out again and found that my tune has changed. I actually do sort of like it. Somehow it matches my skin tone more than it did when I first started using it. I have no idea why this is but I'm not going to complain. It's still not my favorite foundation in the whole wide world, but I am more inclined to use the rest of it up now and I've actually gotten quite a few compliments on how nice my skin looked while wearing it as well. Maybe I was expecting miracles when I first started using it, or my skin wasn't at it's best and that's why I gave it such a harsh review. Not sure. The finish of it still leaves me looking a little washed out, so I definitely need to make sure I apply an ample amount of color so I won't look like a ghost. I also haven't found it settling into my pores as much. So maybe it was the primer I was using, once again, not sure. I'm baffled by the difference in opinion that I now have about this foundation. I raised my rating up by one and switched my "no I would not buy this again" to a yes, which actually means a maybe. I would be willing to possibly buy this foundation again and try out another shade that didn't come in a generalized kit. But probably not until I finished up my UD Naked Skin and tried another foundation out that I've been dying to try.
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Primer/ Corrector -Urban Decay - De-Slick Oil Control Makeup Setting Spray
xCarrieex 10/10/2012 6:34:00 PM
I first used the All Nighter setting spray and decided to switch to this one during the summer. At first I didn't really see a difference between the two sprays as far as oil control goes. But then I went back and read how they suggest to use it on the bottle; spray it before you apply your makeup, then once again after you're all done. Once I started doing this, I found that the product was more effective. It still has good staying power, my makeup lasts throughout the day, looks good, but I still get a little shiny. More than the "dewy" look my UB Naked Skin foundation gives me. If you're not super oily, I would recommend this product for you. If you tend to get on the super oily side, I would probably look for something else. But overall, a good product.
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Primer/ Corrector -Urban Decay - All Nighter Makeup Setting Spray
xCarrieex 10/10/2012 6:28:00 PM
I first purchased the travel size of this spray just to see how I liked it and immediately fell in love. I first wore it when I went out dancing with some friends and put it to the test to see how long it lasted. It did pretty well! Despite the fact that I had gotten hot and a little sweaty, my makeup stayed in place and still look good after a long night of dancing. Application of the product is extremely easy as you just spray it onto your face once all of your makeup is applied.It dries quickly and feels refreshing on your face. I've found that as long as you don't sleep within the "16 hours" it claims to hold your makeup in place, you'll look as good as you did when you first applied your makeup. One little bottle usually lasts me quite some time. I just bought an XL bottle off of Hautelook a couple months ago and that should last me a long time. The only problem I have with it is the pricing. For $12, you can get a .51 fl oz bottle of the spray, which isn't TOO bad, but I wouldn't make a habit out of it. For $29, you can get 4 fl oz and for just $5 more, you can get the XL size which is a whopping 6 fl oz. If I were them, I'd maybe see if they could change the pricing a little bit. I would almost always just go to buy the XL size because of the small price difference. Maybe that's what they're trying to accomplish, who knows?
2 out of 2 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Primer/ Corrector -Smashbox - Photo Finish Light
xCarrieex 10/9/2012 7:05:00 PM
I bought this product at Ulta after one of the sales associates recommended it to me when I explained that my skin has a tendency to get oily. Overall, it does a nice job with controlling the oil on my skin and I don't find myself getting AS oily. That said, I do still get slightly shiny over the course of a few hours. My makeup stays in place nicely (although I usually use it in conjunction with Urban Decay's Naked Skin foundation) and looks good after I get home after a long day. When I take my makeup off at the end of the night, there is A LOT on the towelette and that just proves how well it keeps everything in place. I don't really find the smell of it all that appealing, but that's minor unless you're really into the scents of products you use. I usually use a pea to dime-size amount on my entire face. I found that a little goes a long way! I would indeed repurchase this product, however next time I need a primer, I may try the original just to see how the two compare.
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Liquid -Urban Decay - Naked Skin
xCarrieex 10/9/2012 6:53:00 PM
I just recently dove into the world of higher end foundation and this was the second for me to try. Let me just say that I LOVE it. I love that they have shades for people with cooler undertones to their skin and warmer undertones. It makes it so much easier to find a shade to match your skin. I got mine from Ulta after they did a match on my skin. It matches perfectly and leaves a nice dewy finish to my skin. I wore it one weekend to a family event and my make up stayed on all day. It feels as if I'm not wearing anything and sometimes I forget that I'm wearing any make up at all! I would definitely recommend this product to anyone who asks.
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